Priory of Saint-Macaire

The devotion to the saint's relics led to their transfer to Bordeaux in 1027, despite the opposition of the monks of Saint-Macaire, which may already have been a priory at that time. According to a poorly documented tradition, Duke William of Aquitaine donated the town of Saint-Macaire to the abbey of Sainte-Croix of Bordeaux; other versions indicate that he donated the priory of Saint-Macaire along with its assets. In any case, the disputes between both parties continued over time and were not resolved until 1170.

Today, the church of Saint-Sauveur still stands, a Romanesque building corresponding to the reconstruction carried out in the 12th century, which has undergone numerous transformations over time. It consists of a single nave and is topped by three semicircular apses of equal size, arranged in a trefoil shape. The apse area is the oldest part, while the nave was built later. The apse features a remarkable series of capitals, many of them decorated with narrative scenes. A good portion of the original wall paintings also survives, although they have been altered over the years. On the north side of the church stands a hexagonal bell tower from the 14th century. Of the former monastic buildings, part of the cloister has been recovered and can be found on the south side.